Mooring mast for lighter-than-air aircraft



CZr D. BURNEY MOORING MAST FOR LIGHTER- .l I-IAN-AIR AIRCRAFT Filed July 26, 11927 2 Sheegs$heet 1 C. D. BURNEY MOORING MAST FOR LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT Jan. 22, 1929,

Filed July 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QQQQ Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I3

CHARLES DENNISTON BURNEY, OF .WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 AIRSI IIP GUARANTEE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COM- rent.

MOORING MAST FOR LIGHTER- THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT.

Application filed July 26, 1927, Serial No. 208,492, and in Great Britain August 11, 1926.

. This invention relates to mooring masts for lighter-than-air aircraft, the object of the invention being to provide means for charging an airship with lifting gas in a more economical and expeditious manner than heretofore.

I According to thepresent invention a mooring mast is so constructed that it also serves as a gas holder or reservoir for the lifting gas used to charge or replenish the gas bags of an airship.

To this end the mooring mast is either provided with gas containing compartments or holders or else the mast is so constructed as to constitute a gas holder or reservoir, thus providing accommodation for a large volume of gas which is stored up in the mooring mast ready for use immediately an airship arrives at the mast. Any number ofseparate gas holders or containers can be provided in the mast which containers may either be in communication with, or separate from, one another, as also a plurality of pipe lines or the like. In cases where a plurality of pipe lines are provided and associated'with the gas holders in the mast, any number of gas bags in the airship can, if desired, be filled simultaneously from the gas holders in the mooring mast, thus reducing considerably the time taken to recharge the gas bags of the airship.

Consequently, and by means of the present invention the gas bags of an airship can be replenished with hydrogen or other lifting gas directly from the gas holders or containers in the mast, and the use of a long pipe line from a separate gas holder, or from a large gas generating plant, located at some distance from the mast, as is customary, is rendered unnecessary. Furthermore, a relatively small hydrogen generating plant can be provided in or contiguous to the mast structure and worked continuously or'intermittently as and when required to charge the holders or containers within the mast structure.

Any type of mast can be provided with the.

aforesaid gas holders or containers and the mast may have a head of any standard or suitable ty e, or a special mast head of the fully with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which 1 I Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of a mooring mast constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an outside elevation with the fabric in position around the mast.

In the example shown the mooring mast is constituted by a light girder work structure made, for example, for aluminium alloy, in the form of a 16-sided conical prism constituted by longitudinal members A, A the lower ends of which are embedded in foundation.

blocks a, a and a plurality of transverse ring members B, B said members A, A and B, B being built up from triangulated members in a somewhat similar manner to the framework of an airship so as to provide a light standardized form of construction which can readily be erected without a large amount of fixing plant. Each member A, A and B, B comprlses three tubular members secured together by a lattice arrangement of bracing members in a similar manner to the longitudinal girders and transverse frames of the rigid airship described in our specification No. 233,021, and the tubular parts of said members may, if desired, be constructed from a metal strip wound in the form of a helix with the overlapping edges riveted-together in the manner described in Patent No. 254,782.

At the centre of the mast a combined ventilat- Three superimposed conical gas bags E, E

and E (only the space for E being shown) may be provided and made in halves so as to fit around the central tube or lift shaft C,C and the gas bags may be separated from one another by the bracing wires D, D of the transverse ring members B, B. Between the ground andthe bottom of the lowest gas bag an airspace or a plurality of air spaces F, F may be provided communicating with the cen tral ventilating tube and lift shaft C, G and a space G is left at the upper end of the said shaft below the mast head or lift landing level H and above the space for the uppermost gas bag E so as to provide for the free circulation of air for ventilation purposes through the ventilating tube and lift shaft.v As eachupper bay, are not shown so as to show'otherparts of the mast more clearly. The supply tubes for conducting the hydrogen from the gasbags of the airship may be located within the combined ventilating tube and lift shaft, but in the example shown the hydrogen main I is located externally of the mast and is placed in. communication with each ofthegas bag sections by branch pipes I, l and 1 The mast structure may be provided with an outer cover J in a similar manner to the outer cover of an airship, but instead of being made of the material usedon airships'it is preferably made of thick sailcloth and suitably painted or doped. The gas bags (which may also be surrounded by mesh wiring J) and which are provided in the mast structure are preferably made of nurse balloon fabric or from some other material which is considerably heavier than that normally employed for the gas bags of rigid airships. The outer cover J serves to prevent access of light to the bags and protects them from the weather. Provision may also be made for fur-ling the outer cover of the mast in a similar manner to the sails of a ship, and the gas bags. when not in use may be stored in a special containerin each bay to protect them from the Weather. Under such conditions and when the outer cover is furled and the bags stored the mast becomes a normal mast and the fabric is not subjected to weather conditions when the gas bags are not in use. I

It will of course be understood that the outer cover may be of a permanent character and made of asbestos or from other suitable material such as cement or concrete or from corrugated or plain metal sheets of iron, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, etc., while the gas bags or containers can also be made of thin metal or from any othersuitable gas containing material.

WVhatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A combined mooring mast and gas holdor for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members. frames transverse to and connecting said members and gas bags located within said series of members and between said frames.

2. A combined mooring mast and gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination aseries of upright members inclined to the horizontal and'to cachother, f 'ames transverse to and connecting" said members and'gas bags located within said series of members and between saidframes.

8. A combined mooring mast andgas holdfurther series of upright members withinsaid first mentioned series of members and constituting a shaft, a lift located Within said shaft, frames transverse to and connecting both. of said series of members andgas bags located in the spaces bounded by said first and-said,

second mentioned series of members and said frames.

5. A combined mooring mast andj-gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members, a further seriesof upright members Withinsaid first mentioned series of members and constituting a shaft, frames transverse to and: connecting both of said series of members and gas bags located inthe spaces bounded by said first and said second mentioned series of members and said frames, the gas bag in each space being divided intoat least two portions embracingsaid shaft. I

6. A combined mooring mast and gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of uprigl'it members, ring members connecting said upright members, bracing wires attached to and intersecting said ring members, and gas bags' 'locate d in the spaces bounded by said upright members and said bracing wires. I f i 7. A combined mooring mast andi-gasflholder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members,

a further series of'upright members within said first mentioned series of members and constitutinga shaft, two series of ring members respectively connecting the'individual members in said two series of upright members, bracingwires connecting said' two series of ring members in pairs and gas-bagslocated in. the spaces bounded by said two series of upright members and said bracing wires.

8. A combined mooring mast and gas holdor for lighter-than-'air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright'menibers,

frames transverse to and connecting said members, gas bags located within said series of members and between said frames, a main gas pipe in proximity to said gas bags and branch pipes connecting said main pipe respectively with said gas bags,

9. A combined mooring mast and gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members, frames transverse to and connecting said members, gas bags located within said series of members and between said frames and a cover located external to and surrounding said upright members.

10. A combined mooring mast and gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members, frames transverse to and connecting said members, gas bags located w1th1n sald series of members and between said frames and mesh wirlng surroundmg said gas bags.

11. A comblned moorlng mast and gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members, frames transverse to and connecting said members, and gas bags located within said series of members and between said frames, the frame beneath the lowest of said gas bags being raised from the ground to provide an air space.

12. A combined mooring mast and gas holder for lighter-than-air aircraft, comprising in combination a series of upright members, a further series of upright members within said first mentioned series of members and constituting a shaft, frames transverse to and connecting both of said series of meme bers and gas bags located in the spaces bounded by said first and said second mentioned series of members and said frames, the frame beneath the lowest of said gas bags being raised from the ground to provide an air space in communication with said shaft.

CHARLES DENNISTON BURNEY. 

